Gerrard gets his excuses in early

**FiveTimes** · 28 August 2008, 10:36

Originally posted by moorfield View Post

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ol/7585279.stm

Lazy scally red tulipe.

Club over country.. I don't see the FA paying him £100k/week.

Lazy, I don't think so, but it could be a blessing for England... Lampard could play as an attacking midfielder.

If the formation works without him, great. Leave him out and don't pick him on reputation.
However as soon as he is fit, he'll be a shoe in the team. Love him or hate, his is a world class central midfielder.

**swamp** · 28 August 2008, 10:55

I would have two independent England teams: one from the Premiership (A) and one from the lower leagues (B).

England 'A' and 'B' to play each other once every two years, the winning side gets to represent England at the Euros/World Cup.

This should provide some real competition for places...

**Bluebird** · 28 August 2008, 10:58

why don't you do as the cricket side do and get non-englishers to do the job?

**KathyWoolfe** · 28 August 2008, 11:06

Originally posted by swamp View Post

I would have two independent England teams: one from the Premiership (A) and one from the lower leagues (B).

England 'A' and 'B' to play each other once every two years, the winning side gets to represent England at the Euros/World Cup.

This should provide some real competition for places...

I would have them play much more often than once every two years. One of the strengths of any team is that they get used to playing with each other and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each of the players.

I would suggest that in the final qualifiying stages they play as a regular club team but then the clubs that lose a player wouldn't agree and the national association couldn't afford the fees that such players get.

**TykeMerc** · 28 August 2008, 12:28

I would gather all of the professional footballers, their coaching staffs, advertising people, press pundits etc into one large stadium and hold a massive knockout competition.

A liberal sprinkling of landmines on the pitch, airstrikes every 15 mins and artillery barrage including mustard gas every 5 mins should soon sort the overpaid primadonna tattood tosspots out.

I would also force all football fans who refer to the club they support as "we did this/that" to be in the stands since practically no fans have any ownership of their supported team and the so called "clubs" are purely business concerns with no meaningful memberships.

I'm not being a bit harsh about the pointless bollocks called "football" am I?

**rootsnall** · 28 August 2008, 12:37

Originally posted by FiveTimes View Post

Love him or hate, his is a world class central midfielder.

Who has flopped every time he has played in a big game for England. Funny how the other countries world class players perform when it matters.

**sasguru** · 28 August 2008, 12:40

Originally posted by TykeMerc View Post

I would gather all of the professional footballers, their coaching staffs, advertising people, press pundits etc into one large stadium and hold a massive knockout competition.

toss in a few grenades

**swamp** · 28 August 2008, 13:31

The England team have collective stage fright. Have had since Japan IMO. Before that we were just properly rubbish.

Frankly it doesn't matter who you play in what position, they always come up short.

Solution is to have a manager that can find or inspire existing players to not just stand on the pitch and s**t themselves. Preferably someone who speaks English

**foritisme** · 28 August 2008, 13:33

Mike Bassett

Gerrard gets his excuses in early